PM opens free textbook distribution programme

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today formally inaugurated free textbook distribution programme for the academic year 2017 as the "National Textbook Festival" is set to be celebrated across the country on January 1. 

The premier opened the free textbook distribution programme by handing over textbooks of primary and secondary levels to students at a function at her official Ganabhaban residence here this morning.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid and Primary and Mass Education Minister Md Mustafizur Rahman spoke at the function conducted by Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Division Md Sohrab Hossain.

At the function, the education minister and the primary and mass education minister adorned the prime minister with "special uttariyas" on the occasion of free textbook distribution programme.

PM's Adviser HT Imam and Principal Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, PMO Secretary Surayia Begum, PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim and other secretaries and senior officials were present.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid will inaugurate the central programme of the "National Textbook Festival-2017" at Azimpur Government Girls School and College in the capital at 9.30 am on January 1. 

More than 5,000 students of 31 schools of the capital will join the function, official sources said.

Chairman of National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) Prof Narayan Chandra Saha earlier told BSS that the government will distribute 36,21,82,245 textbooks for free of cost among the primary and secondary level students in academic year 2017. 

"The free textbooks will be distributed among 4,26,35,929 pre-primary, primary, secondary, ibtedayi, dakhil, dakhil vocational, SSC vocational, small anthropological group and visually challenged students across the country," he said. 

The NCTB chairman said for the first time arrangements have been made for supplying guidelines to teachers for resolving complications over the creative question paper system.

He said 60,01,024 guide books have been prepared for primary teachers while 46,66,664 books for secondary teachers.

Education ministry officials said 333,762,772 textbooks were distributed among 4,44,16,728 students of pre-primary, primary, ebtedayee, secondary, dakhil and technical students for the 2016 academic year. 

"Taka 5,658.86 crore has been spent for free textbooks distribution among students of pre-primary, primary, ebtedayee, secondary, dakhil and technical students in the eight years," the NCTB chairman said.

Source: BSS